The inaugural Champions League format featured 36 teams, with Arsenal securing a third-place finish. Ethan Nwaneri delivered another stellar performance against Girona, securing Arsenal’s 2-1 victory on Wednesday and confirming their place in the Champions League round of 16. Raheem Sterling and Leandro Trossard squandered early opportunities as Mikel Arteta’s side took an early lead. However, the hosts struck first when Arnaut Danjuma beat the offside trap and lofted a 40-yard shot past newcomer Neto, who was caught far from his goal. Arsenal responded just ten minutes later when Jorginho converted a penalty after Thomas Partey was fouled. Shortly before halftime, Nwaneri produced a moment of brilliance, cutting in from the right and curling a 20-yard strike into the bottom corner. Trossard nearly extended the lead, but his effort struck the crossbar moments later.
But Arsenal will now be armed with a vast amount of cash at the end of the season to strengthen their attacking ranks. Arteta, who is currently enjoying a team break in Dubai, made it clear that he was disappointed with the lack of January activity and is ready to push for a new marquee striker in six months. Newcastle’s talisman Alexander Isak and RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko are at the top of the Spaniard’s wish list. However, Arsenal will need to have a proper clear-out and cut the wage bill to fund any move for Isak, which would surely take a British-record transfer fee. The Magpies want to keep the 25-year-old Swede, who has scored 59 goals in 94 games for the Toon, at all costs, and reports have suggested a £150 million asking price. Arteta has sanctioned the departure of seven first-team stars to facilitate a spree.
For starters, loanee Raheem Sterling is set to return to Chelsea, and Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams remains on Arsenal’s radar. There will be major surgery in midfield, with Thomas Partey and Jorginho out of contract in the summer. Jorginho is currently in discussions with Brazilian giants Flamengo over a pre-contract agreement. Notable groundwork has already been done on a £51 million move for Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, although Real Madrid could yet enter the fray for the Spaniard, who snubbed Liverpool last summer.
Graeme Souness has tipped Real Madrid to make a sensational £150 million move for one Premier League star next summer as they continue to build their Galactico side. Madrid secured their 15th Champions League title in 2024 after a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley through goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr. The victory seems to have secured the prestigious Ballon d’Or for Vinicius, who is the odds-on favorite to win the award ahead of Manchester City’s Rodri. Following their record-breaking victory, Madrid added the signing of Kylian Mbappe as a free agent after his PSG contract expired in the summer. Mbappe joins Vinicius, Endrick, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham as attacking options for Carlo Ancelotti, but Madrid have been tipped to add even more goals to their lineup. Souness has claimed that he can see Madrid going all out for Chelsea superstar Cole Palmer next summer.
Chelsea paid £40 million for Palmer, but if Real Madrid comes knocking next summer and he is still at the level he is showing, an offer of £150 million would not be surprising. Despite making his debut in 2020 for City, Palmer only really burst onto the scene last season following his move to Stamford Bridge. Since the move, Palmer has scored 28 Premier League goals and provided 16 assists in just 41 appearances for the club. Palmer was rewarded for his spectacular debut season for Chelsea with an England call-up for Euro 2024, where he very controversially didn’t start a single game. Despite not getting the nod from Southgate, Palmer still managed to have a huge impact on England’s tournament, assisting their last-minute semi-final winner and equalizing from range in the final. Although the allure of Real Madrid is hard for a young footballer to ignore, it would likely take a monumental fee to secure Palmer’s services, with the midfielder contracted to Chelsea until 2033.
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka continues to receive significant praise for his performances in North London and is attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Saka hit double figures for goals this season following his opener in Arsenal’s commanding 4-0 victory against Everton in the Premier League. A third consecutive win has firmly given Mikel Arteta’s men the title advantage over Manchester City, with five points now separating the two teams. Following his goal against the Toffees, Saka is just one away from matching last season’s tally, with at least 15 games left to play in all competitions. Gabriel Martinelli’s brace also pushed him into double figures and made him the outright top scorer in North London this campaign.
Arteta praised the duo, saying that they never have enough information and always want more practice, and when combined with their talent, good things happen. One of Edu’s main priorities for this season was tying down Saka, Martinelli, and William Saliba to new contracts. Martinelli signed his extension at the start of last month, while Saka has told the club that he wants to stay, as the Gunners close in on securing a new contract for the Hale End graduate. Prior to the major contract breakthrough, European champions Real Madrid were keeping a close eye on Saka, with Carlo Ancelotti asking bosses at Los Blancos to pursue the England international. Saka put in yet another hugely impressive display, grabbing an assist alongside his goal to help Arsenal move five points clear at the top. That performance could have alerted Real Madrid further, and Saka could also one day be tempted by a move to the Spanish capital. Sky Sports pundit Jay Bothroyd claimed that if Saka were playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona, he would be up for the Ballon d’Or.
Jorginho has reportedly agreed terms with Flamengo for a free transfer from Arsenal. The Italian is in the final months of his contract with Arsenal, which expires in June, and could be headed back to the country of his birth on a free transfer this summer. As he is in the last six months of his deal, Jorginho is able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with any club abroad. Brazilian side Flamengo was reportedly pushing to sign the midfielder last month but didn’t want to pay a transfer fee for the player.
Flamengo has now agreed on a salary with Jorginho. Ex-Chelsea full-back Filipe Luis, now head coach at Flamengo, spoke to the Arsenal player last month to help convince him to join the Brazilian outfit. Jorginho has been in demand, and it was reported that his representatives held talks with another Brazilian club, Palmeiras. The former Chelsea player is among seven Arsenal players who could be axed in the summer. Mikel Arteta has sanctioned the departure of players to raise funds for a summer spending spree. Getting Jorginho’s £110,000 weekly wages off the books could allow Arsenal to reallocate those funds toward summer reinforcements.
There has been a new leak for the Arsenal third kit for the 2025/26 campaign, with a mock-up of the design now shared. The shirt is said to be a throwback to the 2007/2009 alternative kit made by Nike. The third kit, which will be made by Adidas, will be predominantly white with the club badge and manufacturer logo in maroon. There is also maroon and gold detailing on the collar and the cuffs of the sleeves. The shirt will have a classic polo shirt collar, with fabric including a tonal jacquard pattern. Unlike the home and away strips, the third kit is not expected to be released in time for the start of the 2025/26 season, instead launching in August or September this year. Arsenal announced in 2022 that they had extended their deal with Adidas until 2030, continuing their long partnership with the sportswear giant.
